Governance does not only rely on people in the government, but also on the people being governed. Literally speaking, governance is the way a city, company, is controlled by the people who run it, according to Meriam-Webster’s Dictionary. In that sense, it includes the people in position who are in charge of controlling their constituents towards a common goal or for a greater good. Therefore, as an individual, it is apparent that in order to contribute for the improvement of governance, one should first identify and recognize one’s position in the government. Are you part of the governing body or the constituent?
In my own personal case where I am part of the government as a government employee, one’s position greatly influences the amount of improvement an individual can effect on this present predicament where superior-subordinate relationship is built around its main foundations. You do whatever your superior tells you to do on the account of your performance ratings that can eventually, in a way, affect your prospects for promotion at the same time. Having said that, nepotism, I believe, is one perennial problem that hinders the improvement of the quality of governance we have. Some people in the government who holds certain positions favor other subordinates than others. In that way, some subordinates feel unappreciated and unrecognized which leads to them being complacent on their jobs that eventually leads to poor performance at work. The same effect happens to those who are favored by their superiors; some of them tend to perform less than expected since they know their superior would not let them down. Some superiors also remain servants of themselves that their personal interests prevails, thereby affecting the way they run their office.
Therefore, as a pledge to help contribute to the improvement of the governance, I, personally, shall recall my duties and responsibilities as a government employee and simply stick to that. Performing each of these tasks with utmost commitment and dedication will be my primary concern. No more procrastination. No more complacency. No more adverse reaction towards immediate superiors. I shall perform my duties well and keep them at par regardless of what my designation is or whoever my superiors are. It may be a small step for me as a single employee, but this, I believe, may eventually be a giant leap towards desirable change we all can agreed with. As Mohandas Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
It is like you saying, “I don’t need a President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to help me change for the better because the change that is coming will come from me not because he told me I should change!”
By: JOVANNI B. BELMONTE | T-II | Mariveles National High School – Malaya FAB, Mariveles, Bataan
